Hospitals warned to look out for legal high Ivory Wave

By Steve Holden
Newsbeat reporter in Whitehaven, Cumbria Two teenagers told Newsbeat about their experience on Ivory Wave

Every A&E department in England has been sent an alert about the legal high Ivory Wave.

It's asking medical staff to keep a look out for people who may have taken it.

There's concern after dozens of patients needed hospital treatment in Cumbria, Lothian and Dorset after taking it.

The chief medical officers in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have sent out similar warnings.

Doctors say they're worried about the symptoms of the legal high, which is advertised as bath salts.

So what exactly is Ivory Wave?

It's a legal high that's been on sale for a number of years. It's sold as powdered bath salts on the internet and in so-called head shops and market stalls. Often there's a label on it saying "not for human consumption".

The drug itself isn't called Ivory Wave - that's the brand name.

It's also known as Ivory Coast, Purple Wave and Vanilla Sky.

What's actually in it then?

We can't be 100% sure and that's where a lot of the concern comes from.

Legal high Ivory Wave is sold as powdered bath salts on the internet

Tests in 2009 showed it contained a chemical called MDPV, a stimulant which was recently banned by the Government as a Class B drug.

But there's no guarantee that's what is in every packet.

Indeed, initial tests in Cumbria showed it was a chemical that forensic scientists had not seen before.

In theory, each packet of Ivory Wave could contain something different.

What are the effects then if you take it?

From recent case studies, it appears Ivory Wave causes a similar effect to amphetamine style drugs or ecstasy.

It can cause a rapid heart rate, make the user feel more alert, cause severe hallucinations and it can lead to fits.

It can also raise the body temperature to dangerous levels.

One 19-year-old in Cumbria who'd tried the drug told Newsbeat: "It wasn't bad until about 10 hours later.

"I was chewing my face off, deep breaths, my heart was going 100mph and I never slept for two-and-a-half days after I took it.

"It lasts for a week and that's not exagerrating, even when you're coming down off it and I was just paranoid, more paranoid than I've been in my life."

Is Ivory Wave causing a problem across the whole of the UK?

At the moment, cases of people needing hospital treatment after taking the powder have been reported in only three areas.

Across the Lothian region, 20 people were treated.

Former legal high mephedrone was made a Class B drug earlier this year

There's been at least a dozen cases in Cumbria and several have also been reported in the Dorset area.

But the National Poisons Information Service says it's had inquiries from health professionals across the UK about the substance.

Doctors are also worried about the safety risks for hospital staff as people suffering the side effects of Ivory Wave can be aggressive to those who are trying to help them.

Has anyone died after taking it yet?

So far, the death of a man on the Isle of Wight has been linked to the drug but that can't be proved as no inquest has taken place.

That doesn't mean it's fine to take.

Doctors say because you don't know exactly what's in it, anyone could suffer a serious reaction.

So what's the advice?

The main advice is to be extremely careful if you're thinking about taking Ivory Wave.

Don't mix it with other legal highs, alcohol or other substances and make sure other people know what you've taken.

The Home Office also warn that just because a substance is advertised as legal, it's doesn't mean it's legal or safe.

Some substances advertised as Ivory Wave could contain harmful, illegal drugs.